Moche Gold Tree Snail Pendant

Pre-Columbian Moche gold pendant in the form of a tree snail, made in two parts with the bottom expertly soldered to the spiral cone-shaped shell with suspension holes. The bottom is decorated with the snail's foot exposed inside the shell. There are copper beads inside the shell that make a sound when worn.

Moche civilization was centered in northern Peru where it flourished from 100 to 800 AD. Moche society was agricultural, with a great deal of effort expended on impressive irrigation works and massive public architecture. The Moche are particularly noted for their achievements in art, especially their elaborately painted ceramics, which depicted a wide variety of motifs and scenes from daily life with great skill.